Route 26 closed between Princeton and Ohio

Getting in and out of Princeton from the north side is a little tougher these days.

The Illinois Department of Transportation has closed Route 26 from just north of Princeton to past City-County Park near the Pioneer Research Center because of a stretch of the road is damaged and considered unsafe. The closure could last into early August. The Bureau County Emergency Management Agency says the Red Covered Bridge road is also closed until further notice due to safety concerns.

Detours include using Routes 34 or 40 to bypass the closed section of Route 26.

Ottawa Police kicking off annual fundraiser to help children get school supplies

Donations are now being accepted for the annual “Shop with a Cop” program in Ottawa.

The Ottawa Police Benevolent and Protective Association is mailing out donation requests to those of you have donated in the past. Donations can be mailed to the police department or if you’re a new donor, you can drop off your donation at the police station. Arrangements can also be made to have an officer pick up a donation at your home.

Last year’s back to school shopping fundraiser helped to buy school supplies for 100 children and this year organizers hope to help even more less fortunate children. Children are picked based on their needs and before school starts go back to school shopping with an Ottawa police officer.

Another successful relay for life event in Mendota

There’s no raining on the Upper Illinois Valley Relay for Life’s parade.

Despite having to move indoors because of the rain and storms, the annual Relay held overnight Saturday in Mendota was a success. Overall, over 30 teams and 200 individuals raised over $85,000 for the American Cancer Society.

The relay was held inside Mendota High School after rain and storms in the forecast moved the event from Lake Mendota.

Motorcycle crash west of Ottawa lands two people in a Peoria hospital

A crash between a car and motorcycle sent the two people on the motorcycle to Peoria.

A 16-year-old boy from Streator is accused of failing to yield at the intersection near the La Salle County Nursing Home Sunday afternoon. Nathan Miskell and Kylie O’Shea both of Ottawa went down with their motorcycle after hitting the teen’s car.

The teen was ticketed for failing to yield while Miskell and O’Shea were flown to OSF St. Francis Medical Center. They’re listed in fair condition.

Storms and heat create concerns for the Illinois Valley

Things could get interesting Monday afternoon and evening with the possibility of severe weather.

The National Weather Service has parts of the Illinois Valley under either a “slight” or “moderate” risk of severe storms. The best chance for severe weather is late afternoon into the early evening hours.

Besides storms, extreme is an issue today. A Heat Advisory is in effect until 7 Monday night.

Several car burglaries reported over the weekend in Somonauk

A crime spree involving car break-ins hit Somonauk over the weekend.

According to Somonauk Police, they got a call Sunday morning about a burglary to a car in progress. Two people chased after the suspects who were said to be two white men. Unfortunately they got away.

Somonauk officers say they received over a dozen reports of car break-ins over the weekend along with damage being done to cars like tires being slashed. They also found a stolen car crashed into a mailbox.

If you have any information about the weekend crime spree, call the Somonauk Police Department.

Z Tour bike ride returns to Bureau County

Be looking for bicycles if you drive in Bureau County Saturday.

The 5th annual “Z Tour Bike Ride” for charity is going on. The rides begin and end at Zearing Park in Princeton. There are bike routes going from 10 to 100 miles. Registration starts this Saturday at 6 in the morning.

Proceeds from the ride across Bureau County go to the Zearing Enrichment Center in Princeton which provides a childcare learning center.

For more information click http://z-tour.org/

Spacecraft carrying ashes of Clyde Tombaugh moves closer to Pluto

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) – Come Tuesday, Streator’s most famous son Clyde Tombaugh will pass within 7,800 miles of the icy world he discovered 85 years ago.

His ashes are flying on NASA’s New Horizons spacecraft on humanity’s first journey to Pluto. New Horizons also is carrying a 1991 U.S. postage stamp that’s about to become obsolete, since it says “Pluto Not Yet Explored.”

Pluto was also the ninth planet in our solar system when New Horizons rocketed away from Cape Canaveral in 2006. It was demoted to a dwarf planet seven months later.

Tombaugh discovered Pluto in 1930. Streator has declared this to be the “Year of Pluto”.